Enoja

Pronunciation: /enoʊ: ɜa/

THE PLACE

Quick Background
The Enojans once controlled the largest empire on Doa'Dane, simply called the Enojan Empire. They spread their culture as far south as the Herosian Forest and as far east as Amenta. The Empire's political structure was made up of satrapies, somewhat autonomous governies controlled by satraps. These satraps were typically retired military commanders, which gave Enoja an edge when defending their border lands because the leaders knew well how to defend against invasion. Each satrap was paired with a political advisor, whom communicated regularly with the Khalif and was charged with setting policy in so much that it did not conflic with the Empire's ideology and laws. The Empire came to an end following a revolt in the K'dach Province led by General Yirmîyahu Mal'achi, the general responsible for seizing the Ky'juuš Province in the east, which consists of modern-day Sarjevi and Kjevska.

It took centuries for Enoja to rebuild following the collapse of its Empire. Although not an economic power, Enoja has risen militarily in the last two centuries after becoming a member of the Daylic Triumvirate. After the implosian of Tardesche's Knightly Order, Enoja stepped in and the Ecclesian Order was created to fill the void. The Ecclesians were the first Knightly Order to allow women in the ranks, and though this created some friction early on with the Daylic religious leaders, they are now a highly respected military force.

Environment
For a small country, Enoja's climate is relatively diverse, though for the most part it is classified as semi-arid. In the east it is bordered by the Baha Jangala, a considerably dense deciduous forest, partitioning Enoja from both Kjevska and Tardesche, and in the north the first signs of desert begin to appear. The Enojan terrain is mostly flat in the south and becomes rocky north of Arap'tar. Few water sources exist in Enoja save for a handful of subterranean springs and minor river systems branching from the Abhar (which loosely translates to the Vein), which is the second largest river of Doa'Dane. (The River Leird covers more geography than the Abhar but is considered an extension of the Dane River, thus the Abhar is the second largest independent river system known on the continent.) No matter the season, the days in Enoja are quite hot and the nights cool. The temperature gradients shift from one extreme to another depending on the locale, mostly occurring in the north of Enoja where the geography more resembles desert. Although rare, it is not unheard of for snow to fall in the southeastern reaches of the country during winter.

Politics
Enoja is governed by a presidential office called raja. The title was adopted from Sartan and means "learned" or "mature." A Raja leads the country with the support of a small council made up of those that have family ties with the old satraps. The council merely exists for advising and has no real political power. Enoja functions as a monarchy with the Raja as head of state.

Religion
History dictates that the early Enojans believed their rulers were demigods. There is nothing to suggest they worshiped any deity other than their emperor. Modern Enojans, however, follow the Daylic faith. Unlike the southern Daylic countries, Enoja does not have a church in every town or city. Modeling after the Sartans, the Enojans have a central mosque in the capital city but no other metropolitan churches. In recent years they have begun construction of small abbeys in rural parts of the country.

THE PEOPLE

Physical Characteristics
Enojans stand at average height for humans, with males reaching about five feet and six inches and females averaging at five feet and four inches. Although regional diet contributes to their physique, on average Enojans are lean in build. Their body types prevent them from carrying much mass in the form of muscle, so Enojans can be deceptively strong without appearing muscular. Plumpness and obesity are rare among Enojans and only occur within wealthy males.

Dusty brown and brunette are the dominant hair colors found in Enojans, albeit on rare occasions one may come across someone with sandy blond hair. Their complexion ranges in shade depending on the region from which the family comes, but overall the skin tone is classified as swarthy, swarthy brown. Northern Enojans tend to carry a darker complexion than southerners, perhaps due to their proximity to Sari'ana. Mostly they have brown eyes with hazel occurring on occasion.

Culture
Humbled by the collapse of their empire roughly a millennium ago, the Enojans now channel social energy into community dynamics. Enojans are extremely polite and believe in strict eye-contact when conversing. This is especially prevalent in retail environments wherein negotiating prices is common practice. It is considered impolite to accept the initial price of any item provided by a merchant; Enojans love haggling over prices because it encourages and prolongs social interaction. Enojan haggling practices tend to frustrate merchants in other countries where a haggle/barter system does not exist, thus it is always easy to identify Enojan customers as they always attempt to negotiate prices.

A relic of their imperial days, and the model on which the Keshe people developed their roadside inns, the Enojans utilize caravansaries wherein travelers of all sorts can rest and recover from a day's journey. Most typically a caravansery is a building with a square- or rectangular-walled exterior, with a single portal wide enough to permit large or heavily laden beasts to enter. The courtyard is open to the sky, and the inside walls of the enclosure are outfitted with a number of identical stalls, bays, niches, or chambers to accommodate merchants and their servants, animals, and merchandise. The courtyard is a general meeting area outfitted with tables and benches, and food and drink are available at any hour. These courtyards are used by merchants and travelers to negotiate trade agreements, discuss prices and to collect general information.

The Enojans knew that recovering from the collapse of their empire required them to stand out, and thus new social policy was made regarding the rights of women. Shocking the rest of the continent, the Enojans were the first Daylic country to permit women to own businesses, join guard and military services, and even become knights. This decision increased the labor pool in Enoja, therefore more businesses opened and existing businesses thrived. This also increased the flow of money in the country, helping tremendously with stabalizing the economy. In Enoja women are treated as equals in all facets of business, trade and politics. Enoja's progressivism pertaining to women has long since spread to neighboring Daylic countries.

Native Tongue: Enojan

Origins: Enoja

Usage: Remnants of the language are only spoken in a handful of rural villages in Enoja bordering Sari'ana. Heavily influenced by Sartan, present-day dialects are now classified as Vulgar Enojan. Those who know Classical Enojan can communicate with Vulgar Enojan speakers minimally. Classical Enojan is taught at only two universities: University at Enoja-Dai and University of Turglædesh. The Enojans speak Keshe as their first language.

Kinship: Enojan is related to Sartan: the two languages derive from a mother tongue and have syntactic similarities, but they differ in inflectional morphology and lexicon. Being that Kedesh was once a province of the Enojan Empire, Modern Keshe is the closest living language to Classical Enojan both written and spoken.

Restrictions: Because this language is only spoken in isolated pockets of Enoja, and because the Enojans themselves speak Keshe, only those with a diploma in History may choose this language.